


Biggest Mistake

by princessalie72 (orphan_account)



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2014-05-11
Packaged: 2018-01-24 10:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 19,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1601174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/princessalie72
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rayna lands her dream job, but can she land her dream man as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first Orlando Bloom fanfic I ever wrote. I turned into a trilogy. The first two parts are pretty tame as far as any warnings go. The third part I will put up a warning for when I get to it.
> 
> I didn't have a beta for this. I didn't know what those were at the time..lol
> 
> Like everything else I have moved over here...if you read feel free to let me know how you feel about it. :)
> 
> ~Alie

CHAPTER 1 

Rayna was standing outside her trailer looking up at the sky. 'New Zealand really is beautiful, she thought to herself. 

It was the first day of work for the cast and crew of The Lord of The Rings. She was the make-up artist, and artist described what she was doing for this movie to a T. She had already spent three months with Peter Jackson, the director and other technical people working on the project. 

Elf ears. Hobbit feet. Even Golum. Who was her personal favorite. She helped design the outfit that the actor who was playing him was to wear. The Hobbit feet were also a challenge to but she enjoyed it all. 

She had even read the books to get ready for the job. To get a feel for what everyone and everything looked like. Once she started she couldn't put them down. She even started the Silmarillion, which is a work in progress. 

She thought back to one of the days she had a meeting with Peter. She smiled. They had been looking over Hobbit feet seeing which design would work best. She had asked him if he had read it. 

He pulled it out of his desk with a laugh. 

"Page nine, that's as far has I have got." 

Rayna nodded. 

"Me. Page ten. I can't keep up with all the names. I can't keep them straight at all." 

She brought her mind back to the present and then she heard her name. 

"This is Rayna Lincoln. She is the brain behind all the feet and ears and Orcs and any other creature or parts of creatures that we will be using. Some of you will be working with her very closely." 

She looked around at the different people in the crowd. There was a segregation of sorts happening, but that was usual. Until everyone got to know each other. It was normal that after a long movie shoot, many of the crew and cast ate together. Did things after a day of work or on off days together. 

She had no problem with that, but her numero uno rule was..NO FALLING IN LOVE WITH ANYONE ON THE SET. 

She continued her perusal of the cast. She recognized Elijah Wood and Sean Astin. She smiled. Her favorite Goonie. She then noticed a guy with a black mohawk. 

'Now who is that,' she thought. She opened her file and looked. When she found out who it was she laughed. Almost out loud. Orlando Bloom. To play Legolas Greenleaf, an elf. Blond hair, and pale as could be. 

She nodded here head. She loved a good make up challenge and Mr. Bloom was sure to be it. 

She got her mind back on what Peter was saying. 

"So we are all going to be here, working together for over two years. We are going to take the next three or four days, to get used to our surroundings and get to know each other. Plus, Rayna wants to get the more difficult people for make up in so she can see what would work best. Remember, for the next three years we are going to be a family. So act like it. Rayna anyone you want first?" 

She was about to speak, when one of the guys spoke up. 

"On me me..can I go first?!?!" 

Rayna looked at her folder. Dominic Monaghan. He was going to be Merry. 

"Sorry. Not you Mr. Monaghan. I would like to see Mr. Bloom." 

Dominic pouted. 

"Fine, but please, from now on, call me Dom. None of that Mr. stuff." 

She smiled at him. 

"Ok." 

She walked up to Orlando. His eyes never left her and she came toward him. 'What does she want with me?' he thought to himself. 

"Mr. Bloom..if you could. Come with me." 

"Do I have to Miss Lincoln?" 

She smiled at him and he couldn't help but think how nice of a smile it was. 

"Well, let's see. She opened her file. YOU.." she pointed to him, "look like this. You have to look like this." She showed him the picture. 

He smiled. Then nodded his head. 

"I see your point Miss.." 

She held a hand up. 

"Dom is right, we can't be calling each other Miss or Mrs or Mr for the lenght of out prison term. Please call me Rayna." 

Orlando laughed. "I see your point Rayna. Lead the way." 

"Thank you. Follow me." 

She turned to walk back to her trailer. She sighed and closed her eyes. 'Remember he is an actor. OFF LIMITS!' She was giving herself the pep talk about not getting a crush on any of the actors. Because as soon as he spoke her name. She was almost a goner.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 

"Ok Sit." 

Rayna points to one of the five chairs that line up in front of a mirror as long as the wall. He obeys. 

"So where you from?" 

Rayna turned startled by the question. She smiled. 

"Topeka, Kansas. USA." 

Orlando raised an eyebrow. 

"Yea I know exciting hubbub of life but it is home and like they say 'there is no place like home'" 

Orlando chuckled at her sarcastic quip from the Wizard Of Oz. She had turned back to the folder she had been carrying with her. She would look from the folder to him and back again. She wrinkled up her nose. 

"Would you mind shaving the whole thing off?" She asked as ran her hand over his mohawk. 

His eyes widened in shock. 

"What?!?!" 

She smiled and at that moment he knew he could easily fall for this girl. But he had to remember that he had other attachments. 

"Just kidding Orlando. I wouldn't do that to you. But, do you think you could start growing it out? I mean the wig will so much easier your hair was not so..umm..spiky." 

Orlando was looking at her. 

"Sure." 

She smiled at him again and his heart slammed into his chest. 

"No problem." 

"Alrighty then, let's try the wig on and then we can work on your complexion." 

Rayna walked over to a tall cabinet, thankful for the fact that her back was turned to the most disturbing man she had ever encountered. All her self pep talks about not getting involved with or getting crushes on the stars she worked with seem to be failing her. MISERABLY. 

With one more calming breath she grabbed one of the long blond wigs and turned back to see Orlando looking through her CD collection. 

"How many of these things do you have?" 

She shrugged. 

"With me or all together?" 

He looked at her wide eyed. 

"With you?" 

"Over three hundred." 

If possible his eyes got wider. 

"Three hundred!!! How can you possibly listen to three hundred CD's?" 

She smiled and set the wig down on the table. 

"I bring them because the different films that I work on have different types of people. Like this one, Sean and Elijah and them are going to have to be here at the butt crack of dawn and might want some seriously loud music to keep them awake. I mean they are going to be standing here for a couple of hours." 

Orlando burst out laughing. Rayna was confused. She had no idea what he found amusing. 

"The butt crack of dawn?" 

She laughed. All her friends have used that term for years. 

"Yup. Butt crack of dawn. The part where morning hasn't put it's pants on all the way. Still partial night and partial day." 

Orlando took a few minutes to recover. 

"Rayn, I think we are going to get along great." 

She looked at him. 

"What did you call me?" 

Orlando shrugged. 

"Rayn, you don't mind do you?" 

They were looking at each other. He never took his eyes off of her. He wanted to jump in them in never leave. He wanted to see what her hair was like down. Although, with it in high ponytail on her head she was adorable, but he knew that down, that red fiery hair would be the sexist thing he had ever seen. 

"No..it's just..no one has ever called me anything but Rayna. I mean that name is unique enough without a nickname." 

He smiled at her. 

"Good. Then I can special." 

He nodded and turned his attention back to the CD's. 

Rayna swallowed. 'Special was right', she thought to herself. 

"So what kind of music do you like?" 

Orlando shrugged. 

"A little bit of everything, I guess. What about you?" 

She opened a drawer and pulled out another cd case. 

"These are my favorites. This is the stuff I listen to all the time." 

She handed him the case and then motioned for him to sit down. While he was looking through her cd's she put the wig on. She wasn't going to worry about the braids and stuff yet she just wanted to get it on so she could see how much she would have to do to get the pale look. 

She turned and reached for her cosmetic bag. She stopped when he started laughing. She knew he would. Pretty much everyone does. 

"My God, got a fondness for boy bands do we?" 

She laughed. 

"What no BBMack, no Boyzone..my fellow countrymen. I am wounded Rayn. Wounded." 

She smacked him on the arm. 

"One. BBMack..not a boy band. Boyzone. Not together anymore. I do have a Cd of their's laying around here somewhere. Ronan Keating does have a wonderful voice." 

Orlando smiled as he kept flipping through the case. She was so close to him he could barely concentrate. He had to keep talking or else. 

"Why boy bands?" 

Rayna stood up. She ****ed her head to one side. 

"Perfect." 

She stepped out of the way of the mirror and stood behind Orlando. He hardly recognized himself. His eye caught her's in the mirror. 

"Wow. It is perfect." 

He watched as she wrote some notes down on his file. 

"So, the boy bands, why the fascination?" 

She looked at him straight in the eye. 

"I have a thing for pretty boys." 

She winked at him and turned back to what she was writing. He looked at himself in the mirror again. 

'Pretty boys, huh" he thought to himself, 'wait till she sees the whole costume.'


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3   
ONE YEAR LATER 

Rayna rolled her neck back and forth and rubbed the muscles and stepped out of her trailer. She couldn't believe she had been here a year already. 

Things had gone considerably well for the past twelve months. She had found some great friends. Elijah and Orlando were her best friends here. Dom and Billy well they made her laugh. Actually they made the whole place laugh. 

Sometimes it was just that, that kept everyone sane after filming had gone wrong for almost 48 hours and there was no break in sight. 

She was thankful for Liv and for Cate. With them, Amy and Sara, her assistants and herself, there were only 5 girls on the set. Later when they started filming the second one, another girl would join the ranks. For the life of her Rayna couldn't remember the girls name. All she could remember was that she was to play Eowyn. 

She took a swallow of her coffee and sat on the picnic table situated in front of her trailer. Everyone thought it was strange that she hadn't rented a place like most everyone else. After all three years was a long time to be staying in a make up trailer. 

She laughed as remembered when Orlando stood up and told everyone that she had stayed there because she didn't want to get up at the butt crack of dawn. 

It was true. When the guys had to be there at 4 or 5 in the morning she had only to get up five minutes before they arrived. Most of those days she would throw her hair up and remain in her pj's until after they were done. 

Today was one of their slower days. Just some re-shoots. Tomorrow was going to be a whole day off for everyone. They hadn't had one, everyone at least, in over six months. 

She took another swallow of coffee and saw Viggo coming towards her. He was a very very quiet person. Kept to himself mostly, but they bonded over art. They both had a passion for art. 

"Morning Rayna." 

"Good morning, Viggo. You doing some re shooting today?" 

He nodded. 

"Yea just one scene. " 

"Who else has to come in today?" 

He smiled. As much as she tried to hide it he knew that she was falling, if not fallen already, in love with Orlando. 

"I think Orli, and maybe Liv. The Hobbits get two full days off." 

Rayna laughed. Viggo had started calling Elijah, Sean, Dom and Billy the Hobbits just to make things easier. The name stuck and that's what everyone calls them. 

"Good so it will be slow day. I did not feel like putting on anybody's feet today." 

Viggo looked at her. She looked more tired than usual. 

"Getting warn out?" 

She nodded her head and shrugged. The wind picked up and she pulled her blanket closer to her. 

"I haven't been sleeping so good the last couple of months." 

She wasn't going to tell him it was because every thought she had was consumed by Orlando. That every dream she had was of him. That the first thing she did when she woke up was think about him. She would lay awake HOURS thinking about him. 

They had gotten really close over the past year. When ever the guys went out, she would tag along. If she didn't Orlando would make her or Elijah would. 

Orlando would eat each of his meals with her. Even if she was working, he would just sit in a chair and chat with everyone. If she had a break, he would take it with her. 

She just didn't know what to make of him. That and she abandoned all of her rules along with her sanity months ago. She was in love with him. Damned if she would tell him though. 

"Everything OK Rayna?" 

She nodded. 

"Yea, just some insomnia. I am sure it will pass." 

Viggo was about to say something when Elijah came up. 

"What you guys doing?" 

Rayna laughed. 

"I think we should be asking you that. You have two whole days off and you are here. Are you mental Lij?" 

Elijah smiled. 

"No, but we knew.." 

"We meaning who?" 

"We meaning us Hobbits, we knew that you would have short day so I was sent to nab you as soon as you were done." 

Rayna nodded. 

"And what, exactly, are we doing?" 

"We are taking you out. Just plain out." 

She smiled. Maybe that is what she needed. From the sounds of it Orlando would not be there. 

"You got it. I probably have to work for about three hours." 

Elijah smiled. Now he was excited about his day off. To spend the day with Rayna was something had been looking forward to for along time. This just happened to be the day that Orlando had family coming in. So he wouldn't be going with them. 

He knew that Rayna was in love with Orlando. He could just tell by the way she would look at him. Elijah had hoped that maybe she would look at him that way, but he knew if she ever did, it would not be for a long time. For now he was content with being one of her best friends. 

~~~~~~ 

Orlando was watching Elijah and Rayna from his trailer. He didn't know what to do. He never wanted anything in his life like he wanted to be with Rayna. 

Just seeing her everyday for makeup was a reason to get up in the morning. But something was holding him back. He knew it shouldn't be, but it was. After a year it shouldn't be. Even more than that. Almost a year and half. 

He breathed in deep and tied his boots. Maybe he just needed to do it. Just ask her out. Not as friends, but as someone who cares about her. That is what he had to do. 

He walked over and said hi to Viggo and Elijah and sat down next to Rayna. 

"Good morning all." 

"Morning Orli." 

Rayna scrunched up her nose. She hated that nickname. 

"Well, Rayna, me and the guys will be back in a couple hours. Make sure you are dressed comfortably. Have fun Orli, Viggo." 

"Bye Elijah." 

"Well I guess I will be off too. I will see you in few." 

Rayna smiled. 

"Ok Viggo. Hey maybe later I can show one of the sketches I did last night?" 

He smiled. 

"Would love to." 

He stood up and grabbed his paper and went to his trailer. Rayna took a sip of her coffee which had gotten cold. 

"Where are you going with Elijah and everyone?" 

She shrugged. 

"I really have no idea. They just said they are coming to get me so to be ready." 

She turned to him. 

"Why aren't you coming along?" 

Orlando looked down. 

"My mum and sis are going to be here for the day. So I am going to be with them today." 

Rayna nodded her head. She was not going to let it bother her. Orlando was looking at her profile. 'Bloody hell,' he yelled at himself. 'Just ask her already.' 

He breathed in deep. 

"Hey Rayn.." 

She turned and looked at him. 

"What?" 

"I was wondering if you would like to go out tomorrow night? My family leaves at noon." 

She shrugged. Totally not getting what he was asking. 

"I am sure Elijah and them would come back for you." 

He shook his head and looked down at his hands. 'Why was this so hard?' 

"I meant just you and me." 

Rayna's head popped up. 

"Excuse me?" 

Her heart started to beat faster. 'DO NOT GET YOUR HOPES UP. DO NOT GET YOUR HOPES UP.' 

"You and me. A date. Rayn," he sighed, "I want to spend the evening with just you and me. We are always with other people. I want to take you out." 

He grabbed her hand and she looked at him. 

"I would love that." 

He smiled and then kissed her knuckles really quick. 

"Wonderful. I will be here to get you at 7PM tomorrow night." 

He stood up to finish getting ready and then turned towards her. 

"Make sure Elijah has you back by then." 

Rayna nodded her head. 

"OK." 

He jogged off to find Peter. Rayna just stared after him. She got a huge smile on her face. She was feeling happier than she had in months. 

"O my god, Orlando just asked me out!" 

She said out loud as she got up to get out of her pj's and and get ready. Viggo would be back in ten minutes to get his makeup done.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4 

Rayna was laughing so hard. The guys had taken her to a karaoke bar and Dom, Billy and Sean were doing It's Raining Men. 

There were not a lot of people, so it was pretty much just them. The three guys came to sit down. 

"You guys are a riot." 

Dom grabbed her hand. 

"So when are you gonna get up there and sing?" 

Rayna snorted. 

"Yea right." 

Elijah smiled at her. 

"How about you and me? We can sing a song together." 

The others were in total agreement with that. 

"I don't know. My mom got all the singing talent in the family." 

Elijah stuck out his bottom lip. 

"THAT is not fair Lij!!!" 

IF at all possible he stuck his lip out even farther. Rayna rolled her eyes. 

"Oh alright, already I will do ONE song." 

Dom and Billy gave each other high fives, Sean ordered another round of beer as Elijah looked for the perfect song. He was having the time of his life. He was trying so hard not to think of the 'what if's'. He was going to enjoy the day at that was it. 

"OK I found it." 

Elijah jumped up and gave guy in charge his request. 

"What?" 

Elijah smiled. 

"It's a surprise." 

She scowled. 

"You are a pain in my butt, you know that right Lij?" 

He nodded. 

"Yup and proud of it baby." 

After a few minutes Dom asked what they were doing tomorrow. 

"I have to be back by seven." 

Elijah looked at her. 

"Why?" 

Rayna wasn't to sure how much Orlando wanted people to know, but Lij was one of her best friends. The six of them have already shared so much. 

"Well, I have a date." 

She still couldn't believe it. She was going out. ALONE with Orlando. 

Elijah stopped his drink before it got ot his mouth. She had a date. His heart was breaking. 

"With who?" 

As if he didn't know the answer. 

She smiled wide and he could see how happy she was. 

"Orlando. Look I have to go the little ladies room before they call our name Lij. I will be right back." 

She got up totally unawares of the feelings that Elijah was feeling. 

Dom and Billy looked at each other then back at Elijah. Sean put his hand on his shoulder. They all knew how much Elijah cared for Rayna. 

"Dude,..." 

Elijah put a hand up to stop them. 

"Don't say anything. I knew this would happen eventually. I just want to enjoy being with her tonight." 

He swallowed his beer in one big gulp and asked for another. 'Orlando must have told her. He must have.' At least Elijah hoped that Orlando told Rayna or else there would be hell to pay. 

~~~~~~~~ 

Rayna got home at 4AM. She was beat, but she felt good. She felt like she could even sleep. She got into the shower, washed up. 

She started laughing to herself when she remembered what song Elijah had picked out. YMCA. She had never laughed so hard in all her life. Then Dom and Billy joined in. It had been a wonderful time. 

She stepped out of the shower and dried her hair. She had fallen asleep in the car on the way back. When she woke up she had her head on Elijah's shoulder. He had the strangest look come across his face when she looked at him, but she must have been seeing things. 

She loved having Elijah as one of her best friends. She had worked with Elijah one other time. On the set of Deep Impact but they had never really got to know each other. 

Rayna got out her pj's, put them on and fell on the bed. She was asleep in a matter of seconds. 

~~~~~~~ 

Elijah got to his apartment around 5AM. He couldn't go to be. So he was pacing back and forth in front of the phone. 

'Orlando would have to had told her.' 

Elijah picked up the phone. He dialed Orlando's number. So what if he was sleeping. He under no circumstances wanted Rayna hurt. 

After the fourth ring a groggy Orlando answered. 

"This had better be important." 

"Orli, this is Elijah." 

"Yea , what?" 

"So you asked her out huh?" 

Orlando sat up in his bed awake now. 'OF course she would tell Elijah. She has no idea how Elijah feels about her. Besides they are as close as he and her were.' 

"Yea, so what Elijah?" 

"Did you tell her?" 

Orlando knew exactly what he was talking about. 

"Don't worry. It is being taken taken care of." 

Orlando rubbed his eyes. 

"I hope so. You know Rayna will be hurt and crushed if you lie to her. Just..don't hurt her ok?" 

"I won't Elijah. I don't want to hurt her. Everything will be fine. I mean we...I haven't seen her in over a year and a half." 

Elijah got the feeling that Orlando didn't say anything to Rayna. That he was relying on fate to have taken care of it all. 

"Ok. well, I am tired. I will talk to you Monday." 

"Yup. Monday. Later." 

Elijah hung up the phone. Things were not going to go well. He just knew it. 

~~~~~ 

After Orlando had hung up the phone he got up and went into the kitchen. 'Elijah just had to call and be all protective didn't he.' 

He grabbed a glass of water and looked out the window. 

It's true he hadn't talked to Melissa is over a year and a half. In fact things were not good with them even before he left to work on LotR. He got another glass of water. 

He figured after a year and half things were over. Finished. Done. 

Still he had a nagging feeling that maybe he should tell Rayna about Melissa. After all..Mellisa was..or had been his fiancé for three years.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5 

SIX MONTHS LATER 

Rayna stepped outside her trailer holding her coffee and a sketch pad. Viggo was helping her work on her technique. She was not so great at drawing an action scene. So she had a couple hours, and she was going to sketch some of the filming. 

She pulled up a chair right next to Peter and sat down. 

"Drawing again Rayna?" 

She looked up at him. 

"Yea. I am determined to get this." 

"Well I am sure you will. Everything else you draw is wonderful." 

"Thank you Peter." 

He smiled down at her. 

"Your welcome." 

He turned back to what they were filming and yelled "ACTION" Immediately Rayna's vision was focused on Orlando. He came running behind Viggo and they stopped. 

She sighed. For six months they had been dating. At least she thinks that's what it was. Since the first date, they had been out about ten or fifteen more times. 

But that was it. Nothing else. They talked. They laughed. They even held hands once in awhile. But nothing else. She wanted to grab that man by his collar and kiss him senseless. She also could tell that something was holding him back. She could tell there were times when, he wanted her too, but he always stopped himself. 

It was getting downright annoying. She looked up and started to sketch. Trying to remember some of the pointers that Viggo had explained to her the night before. 

Before she knew it she was into the drawing and a hour passed. She looked up when Peter called cut and announced a ten minute break. 

She caught Orlando's eye and smiled. He smiled back at her and winked. She bit the corner of her lower lip and stood up. Her coffee was gone so she was going to get a refill. 

~~~~ 

Orlando knew the second he ran onto the scene that she was there. He could feel her wherever she was. He always made sure to know where she was located, at any given time on the set. He just wanted to know she was there. He wanted to be able to look at her and smile anytime he wanted. 

They had a ten minute break. So he walked over to to get a water and say hi to Rayna. 

"Hi Rayn." 

Orlando had snuck up behind her and whispered in her ear. She jumped a little and then tried to calm her racing heart. She turned up and smiled at him. 

"Hi yourself." 

She bit her lip again, something that Orlando had been noticing lately, and finding very, very sexy. His eyes dropped to her lips. He wanted to kiss her so badly. She must think he was nuts. They had been dating for six months. The best six months of his life, but he had never so much as kissed her. 

"I gotta go touch up a couple people. Visit me when when your done shooting?" 

"You bet." 

He winked at her, she smiled and went to her trailer. 

'I should just do it.' 

He threw his cup in the garbage and ran after her. He grabbed her arm and stopped her. 

"What?" 

"Just come with me." 

He held her hand and pulled her behind him. They got to his trailer and he shut the door. He turned to see the shocked expression on her face. 

Rayna had no clue what was going on. One minute she was walking to her humble abode, the next Orlando was dragging her into his. 

"Rayn, I.." 

He had no idea what to say. 

"You what?" 

She smiled at him and he experienced the same feeling he had the first time she smiled at him. Without saying a word he leaned in and kissed her. 

Nothing could have prepared him for the thrill he felt when his lips touched hers. After all the stunts he had done, skydiving, bungee jumping, base jumping..all of it paled in comparison to what he was feeling at that moment. 

He pulled back slightly to look at her and she stopped him. He pulled her even closer, at her whispered no. 

Rayna didn't want him to stop. She didn't want him to let her go. But a pounding on the door made them draw apart. 

"Orli, five minutes." 

Without taking his eyes off of Rayna, "OK Elijah." 

""Orli, do you know where Rayna went? I need to talk to her." 

Rayna went to open the door. Orlando grabbed her hand and shook his head no. 

"Yea, she is right here. She will be out in a second." 

"OK. Thanks." 

Still looking at each other and still breathless they smiled. 

"Orlando.." 

He just smiled and and kissed her again. 

~~~~~~~~ 

Elijah looked at the door to Orlando's trailer. 'Lij come on. It's been six months.' No matter how many times he told himself that, he could never move on. 

He sighed and went to sit down. Trying his damndest not to picture what may or may not be happening in that trailer. 

"So Elijah, did ya find her?" 

Elijah looked over at Sean. Sean shook his head. 

"Bud, you really..." 

Elijah stood up and stopped him. 

"I know Sean. I know. I am sure I will, but for now," he shrugged "I guess I play the part of the tortured best friend in all this. I have to be here if..when Orlando hurts her." 

Sean just looked after his friend and sighed. Sean didn't think that Orli was going to hurt Rayna. He loved her. 

~~~~~~~~ 

Rayna pushed at Orlando slightly. 

"Hey, stop..." 

Orlando looked at her confused. 

"Why?" 

She smiled. 

"Why? Because I have got some work to do and so do you." 

Orlando put his forehead on hers. 

"Rayn.." 

She put a finger on his lips to stop him. 

"We can talk later. Right now..I just..want to relish in this moment." 

She felt him smile on her finger then with a wink he took it in his mouth and sucked it. She almost lost her footing. 

"That was so unfair." 

"I know." 

She breathed in deeply trying to get her heart under control. 

"I gotta go." 

She kissed him again and left the trailer. Orlando put his head on the door and looked at his hands. They were shaking. Every single inch of him was shaking. He had never ever felt anything like that in his entire life. He took a few calming breaths and made his way to the set. 

He loved her. He knew it, but was fighting it. He loved her and he didn't want to lose her.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6 

When Rayna got to her trailer, Elijah was waiting for her. He needed his ear fixed. It was starting to come lose. 

"Lij, hey." 

He was looking at her. She looked like a girl who was happier than could be. 

"Hey Rayna. My stupid ear keeps coming lose." 

She smiled. He always had the hardest time with his ears. Although the funniest thing to happen was when Liv left hers in the car and they melted in the sun. She had come into work with a plastic gob in the pam of her hand. 

"OK let me fix it." 

She reached up to check it and noticed her hands were still shaking. She had never in her life been moved to throw someone on the floor or ground or wherever, before today. She wanted to totally melt into Orlando when he kissed her. 

Now she had no doubt how he felt about her and she was happy as could be about it. 

"Why the silly grin Rayna?" 

She shrugged. 

"No reason, Lij. I am just really, really happy." 

He didn't look at her. He didn't want to see how happy she was. 

"Well what are you doing tonight?" 

"I think.." 

"She will be with me tonight Elijah. We have a date." 

Rayna spun around, not expecting to see Orlando standing in her trailer. 

"What is it that you need Orlando?" 

He raised an eyebrow at her and his meaning was very clear. 

"I think some of my makeup came off earlier." 

"Ok just sit down and as soon as I am done with LIj I will check you out." 

After just few more seconds she was done with the ear. 

"All set Lij. See you later." 

"Yup." Was all that he said as he left her trailer. 

"OK now Mr. Bloom. What seems to be the issue?" 

She walked over and stood in front of him. His make up seemed fine. 

He smiled and pulled her onto his lap. 

"I missed you." 

She laughed. 

"I have only been gone for five minutes at the most." 

He shrugged and kissed her. When the stopped she laid her head on his shoulder as his arms were wrapped around her. 

"I wish I didn't have to go out there right now." 

She lifted her head and looked at him. 

"Well the sooner you get out there, the faster you will get done." 

She kissed him and then jumped off of his lap. 

"Now scoot. I got some work to do." 

He stood up and kissed her one more time. 

"I will be here as soon as I am done shooting my scenes." 

"I will be waiting for you." 

Orlando walked out the door and Rayna plopped down in one of the chairs. She used her toe to push herself around. 

She jumped up and threw in a CD and went to work cleaning up from the activities of the day.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7 

Orlando had come back from his morning run and just missed the telephone, he hit play on the machine and stopped dead in his tracks at the message. 

"Orli, hey..umm..it's me. Lissa. I know it's been awhile. I guess that's an understatement. I just...we need to talk. I am in New Zealand. I got a pass to come on the set tomorrow. So, I guess I'll see you then." 

Orlando just stared looking at the answering machine. 'How the hell did she get a pass? Why in the hell is she coming to see me, now after almost two years of not talking to each other?' 

He walked over and sat on the couch. He needed to talk to Rayna. NOW before she found out some other way. He stood up and ran his fingers through his hair, which had grown considerably from the mohawk. 

"This is not going to be good." 

He spoke out loud and knew that no one would contradict him. Because he was right. He looked at his watch. 5:00AM. He knew that Elijah and everyone would be getting their feet and everything put on so he jumped in the shower to get ready to go talk to her now. She would be up. 

Twenty minutes later, he pulled onto the set and ran to her trailer. 

"Rayna we need to talk." 

When he looked around several pairs of eyes, were looking at him, but none were Rayna's. 

"Where's Rayn?" 

Elijah looked at Orlando. Something was up. 

"She took the day off and went shopping with Liv and Cate. She left you a note." 

Elijah threw it at him. Orlando caught it and read it. 

_Lan,  
Hey, I decided to take a day off and hang with the girls. I think we might be staying in town overnight, catch a movie and stuff. I tried to call you, but you must have been out for your run. I will see you bright and early tomorrow.   
Rayn _

Orlando re-read the note. He breathed in deep and tried to calm himself. She would be back before Melissa showed up. He was sure of it. 

"Everything OK Orli?" 

He looked at Elijah. If there was one person he did NOT want to know what was going on it was Elijah. 

"Yea, I just needed to talk to her about something. It can wait till tomorrow." 

~~~~~~~ 

Rayna, Cate, and Liv showed up at the set at 7AM. Minutes before everyone had to start getting ready for work. They gave each other a hug and headed there separate ways. 

Rayna ran to her trailer and was surprised to see Orlando sitting in one of the seats. 

"Hey baby." 

She walked over and gave him a kiss. He put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her head down as far as he could. 

"Well I missed you too." 

He smiled. 

"I did miss you. I have been here for an hour." 

It felt so good that he missed her. 

"Well I am here now." 

He pulled her down into his lap. 

"You have fun with girls? Shopped till you dropped and all such nonsense?" 

She smiled brightly. 

"In fact I did. I even got you something." 

She turned to one of the bags that she brought in a set down next to him. She pulled out a box and small card and handed it to him. She kissed him. 

"Open it." 

He opened the card and smiled. Then he opened the box and a ring was inside. It was beautiful. 

"I hope it fits. I got it to be thumb ring. If it is to big or small we can take it back and have it sized." 

He slipped it on and it fit perfectly. He sighed. 

"Rayn I need to tell..." 

Elijah ran in and looked at Orlando and Rayna sitting together on one of the chairs and fought back stabbing pain of jealousy. 

"Orli, someone is here to see you." 

Orlando looked up at Elijah. She was here and Elijah knew. 

"Ok. Rayn sweetheart, I will be right back." 

Orlando walked out of the trailer. 

"Lij? Who is here?" 

Elijah shrugged. 

"Elijah Wood you can't lie to me. So you had better tell me what is going on." 

Elijah looked at her then to the door and back at her. 

"I think it's just a friend of his. From when he was a kid." 

Rayna scowled at him. He was lying. 'Why would he lie to me?' she thought to herself. Without even asking again she turned and walked out the door. 

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a dark haired girl and Orlando kissing. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't even formulate a coherent thought if her life depended on it. 

"Rayna.." 

Elijah came up behind her and saw what she did. 

"That son of a..." 

Elijah started off the steps and Rayna grabbed his arm. 

"LIJ..NO...forget about it right now. Forget about it all together. I will deal with it later. We have work to do." 

She turned Elijah back into the trailer and looked one more time at Orlando who by this time had seen them standing by Rayna's trailer. She blinked at let a tear fall and she went in behind Elijah. 

~~~~~~~ 

He couldn't do it. He knew when Rayna had saw them. But, he couldn't look up at her right away. Melissa had come to talk, but even before he could say anything she kissed him. It took him by complete surprise. But what was more surprising was the fact that the kiss with her conjured up all sorts of memories and feelings that he though had been dead and gone for two years. 

To say that he was now utterly confused, was an understatement. 

"Orli, we have to talk. I know things....I know it has been a long time but I have missed you. Missed you a lot." 

Melissa sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought. 

"Orli, I never took it off." She raised her hand and showed him the engagement ring that he had given her three years before hand. 

Still Orlando couldn't say anything. Thoughts kept running through his head. Stuff him and Melissa had done. How they had been. Rayna. Foremost Rayn. He blinked back tears. She was hurting he knew it. 

"Listen, Lissa I have to work. I will meet you tonight." 

She smiled at him.' Maybe they could work things out' she thought to herself. 

"Ok. No matter what time it is. I want you to come." 

"I promise." 

Orlando turned and walked to where he had to be, with a longing glance at Rayna's trailer. He needed to talk to her, but she would not talk to him. Not yet anyways. 

~~~~~~~ 

"Rayna..." 

"Lij, I don't want to talk about it. Not now. Let me work. OK?" 

Elijah wanted to kill Orlando. He knew this was going to happen. He just knew it. Rayna put in a Cd and started doing her work. Anytime she wanted to cry she made herself stop. 

'He wasn't worth it' she kept telling herself that. She wanted to know who that girl was. She had never seen her before. 

"Lij, do you know who that was? And don't give me that crap about her being an old friend." 

Elijah didn't know if he should say anything, or let Orlando tell her. 

"I am not talking to Orlando for a long time. So if you don't tell me I may never know." 

Elijah looked up at her and the unshed tears in her eyes. These caused his eyes to tear up. 

"Her name is Melissa. Melissa Andrews. She..she was..is Orli's fiancé." 

Rayna's eyes got wide as the implications of this set in. All of the holding back he had done. Why it had taken him so long to ask her out. Everything started to make sense. 

"Rayna, sweetie look at me?" 

Elijah grabbed her hands and made Rayna look at him. This time the tears fell freely and Rayna fell to her knees and sobbed. Elijah got down on the floor with her and held her as she cried.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 

Orlando was looking around for Rayna. It had been a week and they still hadn't talked. In fact she disappeared all together. Elijah knew where she was, he was certain of it. 

He needed to get his wig put back on right so he made his way to the trailer. When he walked in he stopped dead. Rayna was there. Talking with Elijah and the others. When she looked up at him she smiled. It didn't reach her eyes. 

He blinked back tears as the full force of what he had done to this wonderful, incredible, girl. 

"Orlando, whatcha need?" 

He swallowed. 

"My wig is giving me problems." 

"Well then sit and we can see if I can fix it." 

Orlando did as he was told. He wanted to start the conversation but didn't know how. 

"Hey Rayna I will see you tonight, ok?" 

"Yup. See ya later Lij." 

Elijah walked out the door and prayed that Rayna would survive this confrontation. 

Rayna thought she should never have come back. There was only three more months left of the shoot and then it would be over. The other girls could handle this stuff. After they had worked together for almost three years. 

"Rayn...." 

She stopped what she was doing and looked at him in the mirror. 

"Yes?" 

"I.." 

"Listen, Orlando. I am not ready to talk about this yet. I say we just try to keep the next three months as stress free as possible. So let's just...be friends" 'fat chance' she thought to herself, "and move on." 

Orlando didn't believe this facade for a moment. He wanted her to talk to him. To yell. To hate his guts. But if she wanted to pretend like this then so be it. 

"OK if you say so. But..." 

Orlando grabbed her hand. 

"There are things that need to be said. I have things that I need to tell you." 

Rayna nodded her head. 

"Well, Orlando, when the day comes when I give a shit what you have to say, maybe I will ask you what those things are." 

She finished up on his wig and slammed out of the trailer. 

~~~~~~~ 

TWO MONTHS LATER 

"Elijah, come on. I don't want to go." 

Elijah was not taking no for an answer. They had two more days of filming and then there would be a big party. To celebrate the finishing of the movies. 

"Well you still got three days to decide and I plan on changing your mind." 

He gave her quick kiss on the cheek and ran out. He ran past Orlando, who was walking towards Rayna's trailer. 

"Morning, Orli." 

"Morning Lij." 

They both were in a hurry, but Orlando was pleased that at least Elijah had stopped hating him. They had been friends for so long that he was worried that what happened with him and Rayn would ruin that. 

He slowly walked into the trailer. Things with her had not really got any better. She still didn't talk to him at all. Just the basic everyday work things. He missed her. Missed her a lot. 

He thought maybe they were going to be friends again, up until she found out that he and Melissa were going to try and make a go of it again. It had been a long a painful decision on his part. He loved...loves Rayna as much always, but he felt he owed Lissa something. Something for all the years they had been together. 

"Good morning Rayn.." 

She flinched. She did every time he called her by that nickname. He knew it bothered her and he had hoped that it would provoke her into something. Something other than the cold indifference that met him everyday for the last two months. 

"Hello. Sit." 

He sat down in the chair and braced himself for the close contact that was there every morning. He cherished the mornings. When he would be able to be this close to her and drink in her scent. He closed his eyes. Vanilla. She always wore vanilla perfume. 

"Rayn..are you going to the party Friday?" 

She shook her head. No way. 

"No. Lij is trying to get me to go. But, I think I am just going to fly home early. Been a long three years. I would like to work at forgetting it." 

His head jerked up. He looked her in the eyes. 

"Was it all that bad?" 

She raised an eyebrow determined not to let the tears fall again. After two months one would think that there were no more tears left in her. 

"Rayna.." 

"ORLANDO, do you have to come in her everyday and act like nothing is wrong? That nothing happened?" 

"ME. Rayna your the one that won't talk to me. YOUR the one pretending." 

She threw her brush down and turned to him. 

"I am not pretending anything Orlando. I was trying to get through the last two months with some of my wits about me." 

"Rayna.." 

"What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say that I am hurt beyond all belief? That I loved you so much that when Melissa showed up, I died. That I can't sleep or eat. That after trying and trying not to fall for you, I let myself believe that you loved me? I let you in and you destroyed me Orlando. So I am sorry if I am not all.. 'Orlando let's talk about this..' I don't have it in me to dissect all of this. Besides, I hear tell you are trying to work things out with Melissa., Congrats. I hope your happy." 

She turned and stormed out of the trailer. 

Orlando looked at where she left. She loved him. She had never told him that. He always thought she did, but they never got around to saying it. Now he wished they had. He looked at himself in the mirror. He sighed and walked out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9 

Rayna was standing with her hand on the hotel door. She had checked into one three days before hand so that they could start tearing down the set. The party was downstairs. Elijah had been up twice trying to get her to come down with him. 

She refused. But the more she thought about it, the more she thought she shouldn't let Orlando stop her from being with her friends. After all she wasn't to sure when she would see them again. Especially Elijah. She didn't know what she would do without him. he had been there for her and she relied on him so much. 

She looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a black spaghetti strapped dress that went down to her ankles. She had bought it the day..the day everything went wrong. Now she decided she could use it as a weapon. 

She took extra time with her hair and makeup. She made a stunning picture. She made her way down to the party and the first person she ran into was Elijah. 

His eyes lit up at the sight of her. She was beautiful. His heart slammed into his chest. 

"You came." 

She walked up to him and grabbed his hand. 

"Yea, I decided I should not let one ass ruin my night with all the rest of you." 

He smiled at her and kissed her cheek. 

"Good." 

The walked in to the party hand in hand and everyone came running up to her. Orlando knew when she walked in the room. He had always been able to. He turned from Melissa and found Rayna by the door. 

He couldn't believe his eyes. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as Elijah lead her over to the drinks. Rayna felt someone watching her and made eye contact with Orlando. 

It was still unfair that by just looking at him her pulse would skyrocket and every memory good and bad would come flooding back. She averted her gaze when Melissa kissed him on the cheek and commanded his attention. She needed a drink. Needed more than one. 

~~~~~~ 

"Lij, I can get to my room..." 

Elijah laughed. Rayna had way to much to drink and could barely stand. She had her head on his shoulder and sighed. 

"Rayna sweetie..I need your room key." 

She threw her purse on the floor. He bent to pick it up and got out the key. When he opened the door he picked her up and put her on the bed. 

"Hey man is she ok?" 

"Yea Dom she is. Just drunk." 

"OK. Sean and Billy were asking to.Tell her we will all see her in the morning before she leaves for home." 

"I will. Goodnight Dom." 

"Night Elijah." 

Elijah turned back to Rayna and put a blanket over her. She was looking up at him. 

"Do you want to kiss me Lij?" 

Elijah stopped. She was drunk and she was hurting. She also grabbed his hand. 

"Well, do you?" 

He swallowed. 

"You don't want me to Rayna. Your just upset and hurt and more than a little drunk." 

Rayna pouted. 

"That is not true. I am only a little drunk." 

She pulled him down next to her so that they were facing each other. 

"Kiss me Lij." 

He shook his head. 

"Rayna honey, as much as I want to, and god knows I want to, it's not a good idea. You will regret it in the morning." 

He tried to stand up but she wouldn't let him. Before he knew it she had placed her lips on his. A small kiss that sent his nerves, his pulse and his good intentions straight to hell. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Rayna barely could move her head. She rolled over and came face to face with Elijah. For the life of her she couldn't remember a thing that happened after she saw Orlando and Melissa together. 

She reached out and touched his hair. 

"Lij?" 

He opened his eyes and smiled. 

"Before you freak Rayna, nothing happened. I just didn't want to leave you alone." 

She closed her eyes. 

"Thank you Lij. You know I love you right?" 

He nodded his head. 

"Yea I know. Listen I am going to go. Want to get washed up and stuff before we take you to the airport. You should too. Call for some breakfast and take a nice long hot shower." 

He kissed her on the forehead and smiled down at her. 

"Later Lij." 

Elijah walks out of Rayna's hotel room and smack dab into Orlando. 

"OH sorry Orli." 

Orlando didn't say anything. He just looked from Elijah's disheveled form to Rayna's door. 

"What happened?" 

Elijah snorted. 

"Like you have right to ask." 

"Elijah. She was drunk. She is hurting. Yea I know that's all my fault, but still. I know how you feel about her. I don't want anyone getting hurt anymore. You or her." 

Elijah just looked at Orlando. 

"I know she loves you." 

He leaned up against the wall and covered his face and then looked back up at Orlando. 

"Last night I could have..made love to her...I wanted to. I was desperate enough. But. I love her to much to take advantage of that. I will have to survive with the kiss. I take what I can get from her Orlando. There isn't much left after you. She gave everything to you. If there is ever a chance of even a quarter of that feeling being felt again, I want to be the one she feels it for." 

Orlando looked down at his feet. 

"I love her Elijah. I do." 

Elijah looked up at Orlando. 

"Then why Melissa? Why did you keep it from Rayna? Why did you you hurt her like this?" 

"It's hard to explain. I guess I feel I owe it to Melissa to try and work it out. I loved her at one time. Maybe I can fall in love with her again. " 

"And if you don't?" 

"What your really asking is if things don't work out with Melissa and I, am going to try and get Rayn back? The answer to that is no. I will live the rest of my life knowing that I made the biggest mistake of my life letting her go." 

Orlando stood up straighter. 

"Take care of her Elijah. I don't think I will be talking to her all that much. As wonderful as it would be to be friends like we were at the beginning, I don't think that's going to happen." 

Elijah nodded his head. 

"Well, you never know." 

They hug each other quick and go to their separate rooms.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 

Rayna came in her from her shopping trip and threw down her bags, kicked off her shoes and laid down on the couch. She then grabbed her remote and turned on her radio. Barry Manilow. He always seemed to calm her down. 

She missed New Zealand. Everything was much slower there. After coming back, she decided to move to LA. Not a good choice. It was too busy for her. 

In fact everything seemed to be annoying the crap out of her lately. She missed all of her friends. She missed Orlando more than she cared to admit. Which pissed her off even more. They hadn't seen each other in over a year. They had only talked four times in the last year. She could not get that boy out of her head. 

Then there was Elijah. She wasn't sure what she felt for him. She knew it was something different than when they were on the set of LotR. She assumed it was just gratitude for being with her during the whole "HELL" period as she liked to call it. 

"DAMN" She shouted as her phone rang. 

"HELLO?!?!" 

She heard a chuckle over the line. She smiled. 

"Sorry. I didn't think it would be you. What you want sunshine?" 

Elijah smiled. She started calling him sunshine a few months back. When he asked why, she said it was because he always called when she was at her gloomiest and he cheered her up. Like Sunshine Bear. 

"You ok Rayna?" 

She sighed. 

"Yea, I'm just tired. Depressed. Distraught. Pick your poison." 

Elijah frowned. Usually when she got this way she was thinking about Orlando. He didn't know what to say. He could not get her to talk about him at all. 

"You know I am here if you want to talk?" 

"Yea I know Lij, I know. Really I am ok. Just a moment of self pity. So what's up?" 

"I was wondering if you were coming to the premier in two weeks? You did get you invite right?" 

She indeed had. But she wasn't going. She was not ready to see Orlando. Even though more than a year has passed she wasn't strong enough for that yet.

"Yea I did, but I'm not going. I got a job that is starting next week so I will be in Mexico for a few months." 

This was not a lie, it was true. She had gone looking for a reason not to go and bugged till she got a job. Elijah was disappointed. 

"Girl, none of us have seen you in months. When we had a meeting last week to discuss how the promotional stuff was going...Liv and Cate wanted to make sure you were going to be there." 

"I know Lij, I'm sorry. I was thinking, that if you all weren't too busy later this week we could get together. After all it is my birthday." 

Elijah smiled. He knew this already. This was also a topic when they met. They had plans. Orlando said he might even show up. This made Elijah upset, but there was nothing he could do. HIm and Rayna were still nothing but friends. 

He just couldn't get that night in her hotel room out of his mind. Sometimes he wished that he had just...done it. 

"I'm sorry sweetie. We all have a huge photo shoot to go to. They said it was going to take three or four days to get it done." 

She blinked back tears. All of her friends seemed to be happy without her. 

"OK no prob. Well, I'm sure I will see you sometime soon." 

"K, talk to you later." 

"Bye." 

Rayna hung up the phone and started to cry. She really really missed Elijah. She looked at the time. It was only 7PM but she was tired and she had nothing else to do. 

~~~~~~~~ 

Orlando had just got off the phone with Melissa. They had ended any kind of romantic relationship about three months after filming. They had remained friends though, and she knew the whole story about Rayna and felt bad that she had a part in it. 

She told him to call Rayna and talk to her. But he had promised Elijah that he wouldn't do that. But, it was getting decidedlyy harder to stay away from her. He called her once in awhile just to say hi and he could hear in her voice the tenseness when she talked to him. Although it had gotten better, she still had a lot of hurt and anger inside towards him. 

He couldn't blame her. He stood up and walked to his bar and poured himself a shot of Jack Daniels. He picked up his phone and dialed her number. He just had to hear her voice. 

~~~~~~ 

Rayna was relaxing in a tub when her phone rang. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the phone. 

"Hello?" 

No one said anything, She heard someone breathing. 

"Hello, I know someone is there?" 

She heard a sigh. 

"Rayn.." 

"Orlando?" 

"Yea. Sorry..I..." 

"Everything ok?" 

She was trying to keep the panic from her voice. Whenever he called she would panic. He sounded like hell. 

"I guess. I...miss you Rayn." 

This was the last thing she had expected to hear. 

"I miss our friendship." 

Actually he missed a lot more than that, but he wasn't hoping for miracles here. Rayna swallowed. It had been a year. Truth be known she missed that too. 

"Me too Lan. I miss it too." 

Orlando smiled. He missed that nickname too. She only used it when they were alone, because she detested the whole Orli thing. 

There was a silence that neither knew how to breach. This is the farthest Rayna had come to forgiving him. He didn't want to blow it by pushing her. 

"Well look. I am going to go. I will call you later..or you can call me sometime." 

Rayna swallowed. She knew this was a big step in getting their friendship back. She figured phone calls were good. His voice caused her goosebumps, but seeing him..she was just not ready for that. 

"Sure Lan. Take care." 

"Bye Rayn." 

Orlando hung up the phone happier than he had been in months. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rayna got out of the tub and put on her pj's. She felt a sense of relief. Maybe part of her problem had been holding all that resentment in. Maybe once she let's it go she would be happier. She needed to talk to someone. 

"Lij.." She shook her head dismissing that thought. For some reason she felt...unsure of telling him about this 'breakthrough' with Orlando. 

She thought again. Liv. She needed girl talk.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11 

When Rayna pulled into her driveway she wondered at all the cars on the street. 'Someone must be having a cookout.' 

She opened her door and almost had heart failure. About twenty people were in her living room yelling surprise. She looked around and tears came to her eyes. Liv and Cate were there and Cate brought the baby. 

"O my god. Guys you scared me to death. How did you all get in here?' 

She felt a tap on her shoulder. 

"You gave me a key in case you lost yours." 

She smiled at her neighbor Ann. 

"OK. Well..." 

She smiled as Sean came up to give her a hug. 

"We miss you." 

"I've missed you guys too. I thought you were all busy?" 

She noticed that Elijah, Billy and Dom were missing. 

"Well we got the day off..but the others three had to work. Orlando, well not to sure if he is coming or not." 

Rayna was upset that the other three weren't there, but Orlando. She was glad he wasn't. She was about to ask a question when the doorbell rang. 

She walked over and answered it. It was a flower delivery man. He handed her the flowers, she signed for it and gave him a tip. It was the biggest arrangement she had ever seen. She pulled the card out. 

_Rayna,  
Sorry we aren't there. Happy B-Day. PS LOOK IN THE ROSE. Dom and Billy. _

She looked in the one rose that was in the middle and she found a ring. It was a replica of the One Ring. 'How cool is this,' she though to herself. She quickly ran to her bedroom and grabbed a chain. As cliché as it seemed, she had wanted one of these since she began working on the movies. 

She went back out to the party and got dragged away for a conversation with Cate and Liv. 

~~~~~~ 

Orlando parked his car out front of Rayna's house. He was looking at it. He couldn't go in. Not yet. He got out of his car and walked up to the window and looked in. He just wanted to see her. He was worried that, if he went in, it would ruin what they were building. 

He just stood out there and watched her. She was as beautiful, if not more so, then he remembered. After twenty minutes he decided to leave. He would call her later. To wish her a happy birthday. 

~~~~~ 

Everyone left around midnight. She was exhausted, but she felt like going for a swim. She didn't want to admit it, because she wasn't sure what it meant, but she really felt alone without Elijah there. 

She went towards the bedroom when her phone rang. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey Rayna." 

Rayna smiled. Elijah's voice always made her smile, but tonight it was mixed with something else. 'I had to much to drink,' she thought, 'that's all.' 

After all she knew what happens to here when she had too much. It's just that one beer should not constitute too much. 

"Where were you tonight? I know you had something to do with this little party." 

Elijah smiled. 

"I know I'm sorry.." 

"It's,," 

Her doorbell rang. 

"Great someone must have forgotten something." 

She walked over and opened it and stunned to see who was standing there with a grin on his face as wide as the Mississippi. She hung up her phone and laughed. 

"Lij..your a goof." 

"I know." 

For some reason he seemed mighty attractive. She shook her head and opened the door wider so he could get in. When he walked passed she caught a whiff of his cologne and almost fainted. 

'Ok Rayna..get a grip..where in the hell is all of this coming from' 

"What are you doing here?" 

He turned and smiled at her. She felt a small flutter in her stomach. 

"Did you really think that I would not show up on your birthday?" 

She shrugged, more from the fact that she was stunned from the feelings that seemed to come out of nowhere. 

"How long can you stay?" 

"A couple days." 

"COOL. I was just about to go swimming if you want to join me." 

"I would love to, just let me get my swim trunks on." 

"No prob, I gotta get changed too." 

~~~~~ 

Elijah had made it out to the pool first and dived right in. Rayna came out and sat on the edge and put her feet in. She was watching him swim when he came up and smiled at her. 

"Aren't you coming in?" 

"In a little bit." 

He decided to sit with her so he pushed himself out of the water. A more devastating vision she had never seen before. Elijah had a perfect body and it was tan. So different after the sunless days in New Zealand. The way the water rolled off of his back and chest made her heartbeat pick up about thirty paces. 

Elijah looked over at her and stopped dead at the look she was giving him. He had wanted that look directed his way for years, but he knew it was too soon. Orlando had told him that they were working on getting their friendship back. 

"Don't look at me like that." Elijah said with a whisper. 

Rayna's eyes got wide. She couldn't look away from him if she tried. 

"What way?" 

"Like you want me. Like the way you look at Orlando." 

She sighed and looked at the pool. 'Is that what I was doing? Do I want Elijah?' 

"Lij, I.." 

He put a hand up and stopped her. It was time to tell her how he felt. But it was imperative that they remained friends. 

"Rayna, don't look at me like that unless you mean it. I have wanted you to feel that way about me for years. All the time you were with Orlando, I wanted you. But first and foremost I want us to be friends." 

He dried his hair and thought of how to continue. 

"I just want you to know that when you are ready to love again, I will be here. I have loved you forever and I don't plan on stopping. Just..don't do anything unless you are sure. Unless you are ready. I don't think my heart could take being able to hold you and love you and then you taking it back. Just be sure." 

He walked into the house and stepped inside. He leaned against the wall and sighed. When she looked at him like that, he had to exercise as much control as he had that night in her hotel room. 

~~~ 

Rayna looked in the direction where Elijah, her best friend, walked off. Things had changed slightly. She had been thinking of him differently in the last few months. Could it be she was moving on? Could she be falling for Lij? 

She stood up and went in the house just in time to hear the answering machine rewind. She waited and pushed play. 

"Rayn, it's me. Orlando. I just wanted to call and say happy birthday. Ummm...actually there is a lot I want to say to you. I just have to get the nerve up sometime. Just, know I am thinking about you. Always." 

Rayna sniffed and wiped the tears away. 'Maybe, I am not ready to move on.' 

"Rayna?" 

She turned to see Elijah dressed in what he had arrived in. He had heard the message and saw her reaction. 

"Lij..." 

"NO Rayna. I am not mad. I know you are probably confused. I understand that. I think I am going to go. I will call you tomorrow. I wanna take you out to lunch." 

She smiled. 

"Thank you Lij." 

"For what?" 

"For understanding." 

He picked up his bag and stopped in front of her. 

"Rayna, I don't understand, I just know what is going on with you." 

He shrugged. 

"I wish I did understand and then maybe it wouldn't hurt so much." 

He leaned down and kissed her. 

"See ya tomorrow Rayna." 

He left without her saying a word to him. How on earth was she supposed to act like everything is normal now?


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12 

It had been a hard day shooting. No ones makeup was staying on because it was so hot. Rayna decided she liked New Zealand better than Mexico. Heck, Topeka, Kansas was better that Mexico right now. 

She had been working on this movie for five months now. Five months since Lij had first told her how he felt. When he left that night she thought sure that the whole lunch plan would evaporate. But, it hadn't and it was wonderful. 

In fact she had started seeing her Lij, in a whole different light. Maybe she could make it work with him. Still though she had lingering and sometimes not so lingering thoughts of Orlando. 

Somehow fate had been on her side, she had yet to lay eyes on him except in pictures. They talked at least once a week on the phone. She felt like she had got her friend back. 

Rayna sighed and picked up her phone. She wanted to talk to Lij. 

"Hey this is Elijah, obviously I'm not at my phone. Leave a message." 

She screwed up her nose and hung up. She stood up to get a drink and there was knock on her door. She opened it and Elijah was standing in her doorway. 

"LIj, I just called you." 

She grabbed him and gave him a big hug. 

"Why?" 

She smiled. 

"I missed you." 

He smiled back. 

"I missed you too." 

He reached out and gave her another hug. She closed her eyes and in that instant made a decision. 

"LIj, sit down. I need to talk to you." 

He lifted an eyebrow in question but sat down in a chair. Rayna got on her knees in front of him and grabbed his hands. She sighed. 

"Rayna, what's up? Are you ok?" 

She smiled. 

"I am better than I have been in a year." 

She paused and looked out the window and then back up at him. 

"I have done a lot of thinking in the past few months. Especially after that night at my house, by the pool." 

Elijah didn't dare get his hopes up. He wasn't going to say or do anything until she was done talking. She was about to start talking again when her phone rang. 

"Hello?" 

"Hi Rayn. It's me." 

Rayna looked at Elijah. 'Damn,' she thought, 'this was not a good time.' 

"Lan, I can't talk right now." 

Elijah sighed and pulled his hands out of hers. She looked at him and shook her head and squeezed his hands. She didn't want to let him go. 

"OH. OK. Call me later." 

"Maybe. Lij is here, so I think I might be busy. I will call you tomorrow." 

"OK. Bye." 

Rayna hung up the phone without ever taking her eyes off of Elijah's. In fact she probably couldn't have if she wanted to. 

"Lij..." 

Without even blinking he bent and kissed her. He let every emotion, every thought he was feeling penetrate that kiss and when he looked at her she was crying. 

"Why are you crying?" 

She shrugged. 

"I don't know. I just...When you told me five months ago how you felt about me, I was shocked. But, then I was happy." 

She laid her head on his lap and sighed then she looked back up at him. 

"You said you didn't want me to do anything until I was sure. I won't lie to you Lij, Orlando is a big part of my past and my future. We have started building our friendship up again. I still dream of him from time to time. But to be honest, most of my dreams in the last months have been of you." 

She looked up at him and saw him smile. 

"I want to give us a try Lij. I can't promise anything. I have learned that the hard way. All we can do is try." 

He leaned down and kissed her again. 

"That's all I ask." 

She smiled. It took his breath away as it always had done. 

"I love you Rayna. I do. I know I can't ask you to say it back right now, but just know that I do." 

She hugged him and felt a pang that she indeed could not say she loved him. Not the way he wanted her to. At least not yet. 

Elijah blinked back some tears as he realized she wasn't going to say it back. 'Well, one step at a time' he thought to himself. Right now he would be content with the fact that she wanted to give it a go. With this he was happy. 

~~~~~~ 

Orlando was looking at the phone in his hand. Elijah. Elijah was always around Rayna. He knew he shouldn't be mad about that, but he was. 

He knew he had made the biggest mistake in his life when he chose Melissa over Rayna. He loved Rayna. He still did in fact. He should be happy with the fact that they were friends again. 

It was just that every time, he heard her voice...he didn't want her to stop talking. He wanted everything they had before he screwed up, back. 

He wanted Rayna to be his and his alone. He stood up and looked out the window. He grabbed his coat and left the house. 

He really had no idea where he was driving until he pulled up in front of Rayna's house. He knew she wasn't home, but he had felt the need to drive the half hour to her house anyways. 

He slowly got out of the car and walked up to the window and looked in. It was dark. He wished he could get in. just to look around. He walked around back and tried the backdoor. For some reason it was unlocked. 

He went in and walked slowly around the rooms. He found her bedroom and went in. He moved his hand slowly over her clothes in the closet. He picked up her perfume off the dresser. 

"Vanilla." He said out loud as he closed his eyes and sniffed it. 

He walked over to her bed and sat on the edge. He saw a picture. It was of all of them in New Zealand. Rayna and him were up front and they were holding hands. 

She had been so happy then. 'I had been happy then too,' he thought. He suddenly felt tired. So very tired. He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. He would sleep good here. He could smell Rayna on the pillow and that comforted him. 

Before long Orlando was asleep and dreaming.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13 

Rayna was so glad to be home. She was beginning not to like the whole traveling thing so much. She had hardly seen Elijah since he visited her in Mexico. He had begun filming another movie, just as she was getting ready to come back to the states. 

She dropped her suitcases and headed straight for bed. She was tired. She was hungry and she was more tired. 

~~~~~~ 

Orlando pulled up in front of Rayna's house. He had found that he could sleep better when he was there. He knew she was home now. He had made sure to never leave any signs that someone had been in the house. 

After that first night, he found an extra key and took. It was very unsafe to leave a door unlocked. You never knew when someone would walk in. 

He waited a few minutes, before deciding weather or not he should go in. He knew she was asleep. He could just take a look at her. He hadn't seen her since her birthday party the year before. 

But, he also knew that Elijah and her were dating. This caused him so much pain. He lost her for good. He sighed and made his usual trek around the house. Being extra careful not to make any noise. 

He meandered his way down to her bedroom, where he had slept every night for the last month. She left the door open and he saw that she was dead to the world. He walked in and looked down at her. 

He knelt next to the bed and looked closer at her face. 

"I love you Rayn." He whispered. 

He laid his head down on the bed and fell asleep. 

 

~~~~~ 

Orlando woke up with a start. He looked at his watch. It was 5AM. He looked at Rayna and softly kissed her lips. 

"See you tonight." He whispered, and left before she woke up. 

He got into his car and looked at her house. He didn't know what was wrong with him, but one thing was for sure, he would be back. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rayna woke up around 8 and felt like she had the weirdest dream. LIke, Orlando had been with her. She shook her head. She must be going crazy. 

She stood up and headed for the shower. 'Time to start my day.' 

~~~~~~ 

That night Orlando came back. This time he brought a present. A red rose. He fell asleep the same way he had the night before and when he woke up he left the rose by her side. 

He wasn't to sure how long he would be able to keep it up. He figured she would do something to try and catch whoever was doing this, but until then he wanted to be with her. 

~~~~~ 

When Rayna woke up that morning she screamed when she saw the rose on her bed. Someone had been in her house and she had no idea who. She went to her next door neighbor, Anne, to see if she saw anyone, She hadn't. 

She was not going to panic, because she didn't think that who ever left the rose would hurt her. She stopped and thought about how she had that weird dream that Orlando had been in her room. She shook it off. 

"Rayna, your losing your mind." She said out loud. She also debated calling Elijah and telling him what was going on. But she decided to wait and see if it was a fluke. 

~~~~~   
It wasn't. For a month she kept getting flowers on her bed when she woke up. She wondered why she wasn't afraid. She also wondered why her thoughts were turning more towards Orlando in the last few days. It seemed to her that, Orlando's conversations with her had changed. They were charged with something...something like...what they had before he was an ass. 

What scared her even more was that she liked it. She was beginning to wonder if being with Elijah was a good idea, because obviously Orlando had more of a hold on her than she thought. 

She looked at the vase of roses in the kitchen, all in various stages of life. 'Why don't I call the cops?' She thought to herself. 

She jumped when her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID which she had just began using. It was Elijah. 

"HI Lij." 

Elijah knew right away by her tone, something was up. Of course something had been up for the last month. He was worried. Something was happening and he was afraid of what that might be. 

"You ok sweetie?" 

She smiled. Elijah cared so much for her and she could never bring herself to tell him she loved him. She did. At least she thinks she does. 

"Yea, just tired.' 

"I know what you mean...I..." 

"O hold on I got a beep." 

She clicked the other call in. 

"Rayn.." 

She smiled and wondered why her heart fluttered when Orlando called. Even with Elijah on the other line. 

"Lan..what;s up?" 

"O nothing I just called to say hi." 

She swallowed. 

"Well, I can't talk right now. I have another call holding. Can I call you when I am done?" 

"Sure. Hurry though. I have to leave in twenty minutes." 

"Ok I will try. Bye." 

"Bye." 

She clicked back over to Elijah all the while kicking herself for promising to hurry. Elijah was her boyfriend. Not Orlando. 

"Hey Lij." 

"Who was on the other line?" 

"Just Orlando." 

Something in the way that she said Orlando's name sent off warning bells in Elijah's brain. 'NO' he mentally yelled at himself. 'She is with you. Not him.' 

"Oh ok SO how has your week been?" 

~~~~~~~~~ 

"Are you excited?" 

Rayna laughed at Liv who was helping her pick out an outfit for The Two Towers premier. Seeing as that she didn;t go to the FotR premier, she was going to this one and as Elijah's girlfriend. It will be the first time that they would be out to major function together. 

Things had gotten a little better with her. The roses stopped appearing about three months ago, so she was passed that. Now if she could just survive seeing Orlando again, at least in person. Every night for the last six months she dreamt about him. She was missing him terribly. So much so it was keeping her up at night. 

She couldn't call him. He had been with Elijah and everyone filming a couple finishing shots for the movie. 

"Yes, I am. I am just a little tired." 

Liv looked at her. She hadn't seen her like this since they were in New Zealand and she had fallen for Orlando. 

"Ok well lets get you a dress and get home. I just want to pig out and watch movies." 

Liv had come to spend the week with Rayna, and they were going to to absolutely nothing the whole time.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14 

Liv left early on Friday because she had a ton of things to do. Get dressed. Interviews. Pictures. So, Rayna was alone for the first time in a week. 

All of sudden the thought of seeing Orlando, scared her to death. She had come to realize that maybe, just maybe, she would ever be fully over Orlando. 

She sighed as she looked a the time and noticed that she had to meet Elijah in two hours. 

~~~~~ 

Orlando was pacing the floor where he and the rest of the cast of the movie were waiting. Waiting for another set of interviews. 

"Orli..sit down or we are gonna have to pay for new rugs in here" 

Orlando looked at Sean. 

"Yea what's wrong. You seem so nervous today?" 

He looked at Elijah. What could he say? 'I just can't wait to see your girlfriend.' 

"Nothing. I am just a little antsy." 

Liv looked at him and thought back to some of the things that her and Rayna had talked about all week. The most nerve wracking being, the roses on her bed every night for a month. 

She was beginning to wonder if Orlando had finally lost it. He seemed troubled. 

"Orlando.." 

She put her hand on his shoulder and got his attention. He spun around to look at her. 

"What is it Liv?" 

"Come with me. I think you need some air." 

He looked at her funny but followed. Being in the same room with Elijah, knowing that Rayna would show up any second was killing him. They walk out a small door and stand by some trees and a little garden. 

Liv looked at him and smiled. 

"So care to tell me what is bothering you?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean the last couple months you have not been yourself. Is everything ok?" 

He looked at her a for a second. 

"No. Not really." 

He sat down on a bench and Liv sat next to him. She looked at him waiting for him to continue. 

She was pretty sure what the problem was, the same thing she finally dragged out of Rayna on Thursday. They hadn't stopped loving each other. 

The only problem was that Elijah just might get hurt in all this. Rayna said she wasn't going to let anything change with Elijah, but Liv had her doubts. 

Orlando sighed. 

"It's Rayn. I can't get over her. Truth be told, I don't want to. I want her back. I will do anything to get her back." This realizatioin was guilt ridden, seeing as that he had promised Elijah he wouldn't do that. 

Liv knew he was telling the truth. She had a feeling about the roses on the bed. 

"Orli, did you know that Rayna had a stalker or something a few months back? Someone was coming into her house every night and leaving a rose on her bed. It was strange and then all of a sudden two months ago they just stopped appearing. About the same time that we all left to re-shoot some scenes. Strange huh?" 

Orlando looked wide eyed at Liv. He would still be doing it to, if they hadn't left and got so busy. He would do anything to be by her side for however long he could. 

"Liv, I would never hurt her." 

"Not intentionally, I know...but...she has been hurting for a couple years now." 

Liv sighed. 

"I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but she can't even fully commit to Elijah because of you." 

Orlando looked at her. He closed his eyes and folded his hand in front of him. 

"What am I supposed to do?" 

Liv shrugged. 

"I have no idea, but someone is going to be very very hurt after this is all done, so whatever you do think about it and chose wisely." 

She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. She wanted him to help Rayna let him go. He watched Liv go back into the room. 

Orlando wasn't sure if he could do that. He stood up. It was time to have a talk with Rayna. Tell her the truth about Melissa. Even tell her about the roses. He needed to tell her everything.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15 

Rayna looked in the mirror and smiled. She looked good, if she did say so herself. She was wearing a pair of black velvet low riders, that fit perfectly to her hips. A silver shirt that tied around the neck and her back showed off her toned arms and abs. And the nice little tattoo that she had got on her lower back. 

No one knew about the tattoo. It was her little surprise. She piled her hair on her head and pulled a few ringlets down around her face. The finishing touch was a pair of slinky sandals. 

She smiled. 'I can't wait till Orlando...' She stopped her thought in the middle. Tears came to her eyes and she realized that she had dressed for Orlando. She hadn't though about Elijah the whole day. 

'Maybe that is to be expected,' she thought to herself. After all, they had been a couple for a year and haven't seen each other in two. She closed her eyes and said a small prayer. She did not, under any circumstances, want Elijah to be hurt. If she had to fight Orlando tooth and nail, Elijah would not be hurt in any way. 

She grabbed her bag, her keys and her perseverance and headed to the party. She knew this was going to be a hard night. A party before the movie, the movie and then another party. She just hopped she could make it through all of it without much incident. 

~~~~~~~ 

Elijah was waiting when Rayna showed up. He ran up to her and hugged her. When they pulled back he looked in her eyes and knew her mind was somewhere else. With someone else. 

He kissed her one more time and whispered. "I love you. Just remember that." 

Rayna smiled and kissed him. "I know you do." 

They walked into the party and were immediately surrounded by people. 

"Well, there you are. Where have you been hiding?" 

Rayna smiled as Dom came up and gave her a big hug. 

"Working. The same as you." 

After everyone had exchanged hugs and kisses and hello's Rayna made her way over to Liv and Cate who were sitting on a couch talking quietly. 

"Hi ladies." 

"RAYNA..hey sit." 

Cate moved over to make room for her. 

"WOW do you look wonderful tonight." 

She smiled. 

"Thank you Cate. Liv is the one that made me get the outfit, but.." she looked around to make sure no one could see her..."there was one accessory that Liv doesn't even know about." 

She stood up and turned around to show them her tattoo. 

"Girl, when did you get that?" 

Liv asked as she looked closely at the heart and rainbow configuration on Rayna's lower back. 

"A couple weeks ago. I was having a bad day and decided to do something different for myself. What do you think?" 

"I love it!!!" 

Cate smiled. 

"Yea me too." 

She sat back down and they started talking a little more. The DJ started the music and Rayna was wanting to dance. 

"Liv, is your dad going..." 

She didn't finish what she was saying because one of her favorite songs came on and she grabbed Liv and Cate and drug them on the dance floor. 

"Come on girls. We are gonna dance." 

~~~~~ 

Elijah, Dom, Billy and Sean were sitting on a couch across the room went he song started. Elijah started to laugh. 

"What's so funny?" 

He looked at Sean. 

"This is one of Rayna's favorite songs." 

All the guys agreed as they saw her get to the dance floor with Liv and Cate in tow. All four guys sat in opened mouth amazement at Rayna. She could dance. She could dance good. Elijah was shocked. He had never really seen her dance before and it was a sight to behold. With that outfit and those moves she was the hottest thing out there. 

"Where did she learn to move like that Elijah?" 

"Damned if I know. I guess B2K just moves her." 

They all had to agree. The pulsing rhythms of Bump Bump Bump sure caused her to loosen up a bit that was for sure. 

As he was staring at her, she caught his eye and made her way through the crowd. She danced up to him and grabbed his hand to pull him up. 

"Dance with me." 

She moved to the music and drug him behind her. That's when he noticed the tattoo. He pulled her hand and spun her around. 

"When did you get that?" 

She smiled at him and kissed him. He wasn't going to get an answer out of her yet, so he just smiled and enjoyed being with her. 

~~~~~~ 

Orlando stood his ground. When he saw Rayna in that crowd dancing, and looking so gorgeous, he had wanted to grab her and take her anywhere they could be alone. Then she danced up to Elijah and smiled at him and he scowled. 

She sure was trying to love Elijah. That much was clear. He sighed and sat down. Another dance song started. Elijah went to sit back down with the other guys, but Rayna stayed put to dance. 

Orlando grabbed a beer and drank it down while watching her. 

~~~~~ 

Rayna was enjoying herself. She was worried that she wouldn't. She thought Orlando might make a problem or two, but he seemed to be keeping his distance. 

As the song ended, she grabbed a drink and stood in front of Elijah and smiled. 

"Now why didn't you dance more with me Lij?" 

Elijah laughed. 

"Well if you hadn't noticed, I am as white as they come. You saw the extent of my moves." 

She smiled at him and winked. 

"I think your moves are just fine, Lij." 

Elijah eyes got wide as she leaned in and kissed him. 

"Well yours aren't so bad either." 

He grabbed her and pulled her down on his lap. 

"Now are you going to tell me about this?" 

He ran his finger down her back to the tattoo and she shivered. She shrugged. 

"I just felt like doing something different." 

He traced the heart with his finger. 

"Well, just so you know, I think it's damn sexy." 

She smiled at him and put her arms around him. 

"Thank you Lij."


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Credit: [Stereofuse~Everything](http://youtu.be/dT2dk4pHwkQ)

CHAPTER 16 

Rayna jumped up as another fast song came on. She wanted Elijah to dance with her but he said he wanted to watch her instead. She pouted and walked out to the dance floor. 

Orlando was watching and decided he wanted to talk to her. He made his way through the crowd and ended up behind her. He noticed the tattoo right away and sucked in his breath. It was the sexiest thing he had ever seen. 

He got closer and when he was near her ear he whispered. 

"Sexy tattoo Rayn." 

Rayna stopped dead in her tracks and turned slowly around. Her eyes were wide as saucers as she looked at him. This was the first time in forever that she had seen him. She hoped her eyes weren't giving her away, because her heart started screaming the second she heard him behind her. 

"Lan..." 

Orlando smiled and grabbed her hand as the song changed to a slow one. 

"I think I am going to sit down. I danced three songs and my feet are killing me." 

Even to her own ears, Rayna thought the excuse sounded lame. Orlando just pulled her closer. 

"Dance with me Rayn." 

Looking in his eyes and losing herself in them like she always had, she couldn't say no. She stepped closer. She closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the feeling of being in his arms again. 

Orlando smiled and tightened his arms around her. He heard her sigh and knew then that she wasn't over him. 

"Rayn.." 

She looked up at him and there were tears in her eyes. 

"Why are you crying?" 

She swallowed. 

"Because..." 

He lifted an eyebrow. He was about to ask why again when he heard what song was on. He couldn't believe what song it was. 

"Rayn..listen. The song." 

She furrowed her eyebrows and listened. When she looked back up at Orlando, he had tears in his eyes. 

"Lan.." 

He put a finger on her lips to stop her from talking. 

"Just listen. This is....perfect." 

She closed her eyes and let the music and his voice as he softly sang in her ear, wash over her. 

_I remember you do you remember me too  
Born on the 14th of July the smell of roses made her cry   
And though you’re going far from home rest assured you’re not alone_

Orlando closed his eyes as well and started singing in her ear. No one else could hear, just her. 

_‘Cause I would give everything that I own  
I’d give you my heart and this skin and these bones   
The sun the moon the earth the sky I   
’d never even stopped to wonder why   
I would do anything   
I would give everything   
to be your everything_

Rayna didn't want to fell like this again. Not about Orlando. She let a tear escape and it fell on his shoulder. She sniffed and he looked down at her. 

When his eyes met hers, he wanted to kiss her. But with everyone around he held back. He rested his forehead on hers and continued singing to her. 

_It seems like such a long long time since your body crossed my mind  
But I think that you should know   
it wasn’t I who had to go _

_‘Cause I would give everything that I own  
I’d give you my love and this heart made of stone   
The sun the moon the earth the sky The motorcycle that I like to ride   
I would do anything   
I would give everything   
To be your everything _

She picked her head up and looked at him again. He smiled at her and pulled her closer as the song continued. 

~~~~~~~~ 

Elijah looked up from talking with Dom and Billy and didn't like what he was seeing. Orlando and Rayna were dancing. But that wasn't the exact problem. It was..he couldn't put his finger on it, but it bothered him. Like she would never be over Orlando. Ever. He started to stand up when Dom pushed him back down. 

"Elijah. You have to let her do this on her own." 

"Yea. Dom's right. Don't go charging in there. She has to get through this by herself." 

Elijah didn't want to just sit there and watch. He could just tell.....they were connecting again. Hell, who was he kidding. They were always connected. He just didn't want to believe it. And of all the songs to play it had to be this one. He had always wanted to dedicate this to her, now, he felt something was happening with it, but it was Orlando, not him that was using it. 

"What if she goes back to him?" 

Dom and Billy look at each other. 

"Why would she do that?" 

"Because. She still loves him." 

Dom and Billy look at each then at Sean and all three look at Elijah. 

"How do you know that?" 

Elijah looked up at Rayna and Orlando dancing and he shrugged. 

"You can see it it on her face." 

They look to the dance floor to see Orlando looking intently at Rayna. 

~~~~ 

_But if ever you should stray just sing along and I will play  
Look into your hands I’m slipping through them like a tiny grain of sand _

_I remember you do you remember me too  
Seems like such a long long time since I held you near and called you mine _

_‘Cause I would give everything that I own  
I’d give you my heart and this skin and these bones   
The sun the moon the earth the sky a brand new car that you and I could drive   
I would do anything   
I would give everything   
to be your everything   
Everything _

Orlando was looking at Rayna. He wouldn't let her look anywhere's else. 

"Why are you doing this Lan?" 

Orlando smiled. 

"You had better smile or Elijah is gonna wonder what is going on." 

Rayna didn't want to smile. She wanted to kick, scream, punch...anything to make her stop feeling like she was. 

"Orlando, this is not fair. To me or Lij." 

Orlando spun her around slowly so that they were close to the door, the song was about done and he didn't want her to run away from him. At least not until they had a chance to talk. 

"I love you Rayn." 

She stopped moving and looked up at him. 

"What did you say?" 

"I said I love you." 

Rayna didn't know what to say. She wanted to run. She wanted to fall into his arms. 

"Lan..I...can't do this. I am with Elijah now. I gotta go." 

Before she could change her mind she was heading back towards Elijah and the guys. Before she got to him, Liv stopped her. 

"What happened Rayna?" 

Rayna looked at Liv and started crying. 

"I should never have come. Liv, I..." 

Cate came up and saw that she was crying. 

"Let's take her somewhere quiet for a few minutes, Liv. Get her calmed down." 

Rayna was willing to let them take her to mental hospital if it meant she could make a wise choice in all of this. Thus far all she has done was hurt Elijah. Even if he wasn't now, she couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't be. 

Truth be told the only wise choice would be to leave and not tell anyone where she was at. That way at least Elijah and Orlando could still be friends. 

"Sit down here Rayna." 

She sat down and looked up at Liv and Cate. 

"I should have never broken my number one rule." 

"What's that?" 

"To never fall for an actor or anyone on the set of a movie. I didn't listen to myself and now..." 

She sighed and looked up in the sky at all the stars. Liv sat down next to her and Cate kneeled in front. 

"I can't do this. Not to Lij. Not to me. Not to Orlando. I want to be with Lan, but I don't want to hurt Lij. I won't hurt Lij, at least not that way. I will leave before I do that." 

"Is that what your thinking about doing?" 

Rayna looked from Liv to Cate. 

"Well, what would you guys do?" 

Cate grabbed her hand. 

"Who do you love. Deep down inside who? Who is the one you dream about all the time, who is the first person you wake up and think about? Who can't you live without Rayna?" 

Rayna knew who that was. She just didn't want to make that choice. 

"We are gonna go back in. You sit here until you are more collected. Come in when your ready. We still have another hour before we have to leave for the movie." 

Rayna managed a small smile. 

"Thank you Cate." 

Liv stood up and looked at her. 

"You already know what your going to do don't you?" 

Rayna shrugged. 

"Just go inside. I will be in a little bit later." 

Liv gave her a hug. 

"Hurry up, Ok." 

Rayna nodded her head and watched Liv go in. She started thinking again about what Cate said. She looked up and saw Orlando coming towards her. He saw her and smiled. 

She shook her head and stood up. 

Orlando knew what she was doing, but he couldn't get to her in time. By the time he got out to the garden she was gone. He sat on the bench and weighed the idea of chasing after her. But, he had to be at the premiere. He figured she would just head home and he would call her later. 

He stood up and headed back into the party. Elijah met him half way. 

They stood there looking at each other for a few seconds. 

"Elijah.." 

Elijah put his hand up to stop Orlando from talking. 

"I just want to know what she said? If it is you that she wants, I want to know now." 

Orlando shrugged. 

"I really have no idea Elijah. She left." 

Elijah's eyes got wide. 

"She what?" 

"She left. I couldn't get out here in time to tell her to stay and she took off." 

Elijah looked down the sidewalk. He was going to go after her. He turned to leave and Orlando grabbed his arm. 

"Don't. She needs to think. And we have to be at the movie." 

"Why couldn't you have left her alone? Things were fine until you..." 

"Elijah, you know that is not true. I was a first class ass but I never got over her and I think you know she was never fully with you. Not the way you wanted. Come on, were you really happy with that?" 

Elijah looked at Orlando. As maddening as it was, Orlando was right. But, he was willing to take whatever Rayna wanted to give him. Which, obviously was not that much. Elijah just looked at Orlando and walked back into the party. 

Liv was coming out at the same time. 

"Elijah?" 

He just shook his head and continued on his way. Liv met up with Orlando. 

"What on earth happened?" 

Orlando looked at her. 

"Rayn left. I guess I pushed to hard." 

Liv sighed. 

"Truth be told Orli, you really didn't have to push all that much. She loves you. She always has. I had a long talk with her this week. She should never have given Elijah as much hope as she had. I think even if you hadn't come back into the picture she would not have been able to make him happy. Or herself." 

Orlando sat down on the bench. 

"Liv, how did I screw this up so much. I have made on mistake after another with her. The biggest, being leaving her in the first place." 

Liv smiled. 

"Your a guy. You are destined to screw up." 

Orlando smiled despite himself. 

"Thanks, Liv, thanks a lot." 

She hugged him. 

"At least I got you to smile. Now we have to go in there and play happy. You ready?" 

"I guess." 

They stand up and head back in. Liv stops him. 

"And Orli, makes things right with Elijah. You guys have been too close for to long to let this ruin your friendship." 

"I know Liv. I know. I will talk to him." 

She smiled and put her arm through him. 

"Let's go Legolas your fans await." 

Orlando looked at her and scowled. 

"Shut up!" 

Their laughter was heard all the way into the building.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Credit:[Love She Can't Live Without~Clint Black](http://youtu.be/IAQYVpZdquc)

CHAPTER 17 

Rayna pulled into her driveway, surprised she made the trip home without a car accident. More amazing was the fact that she hadn't broke down into a blubbering idiot yet. Just a plain idiot. She couldn't stay there and be with them both. Lij would know what was going. Heck, he probably already knew. 

She slammed her door and went into the house. She went into her bedroom and sat on the bed. 

"Now, what am I going to do?" 

She asked out loud. She went out to her stereo and put in a CD. She was in the mood for country. The music at the party had been loud, so she wanted something a little more quiet. She put in her Clint Black CD and headed back to her bedroom. 

She was thinking while she changing. She couldn't be with either of them. She loved Lan, that much was clear, most likely to everyone at that party. But, she knew this would never work. Now people were gonna be hurt. ELijah the worst. 

What had she been thinking? Yes so, she started thinking Lij was sexy. A lot of girls had been thinking that. It was no reason to try and use him to get over Orlando. 

She sat on the edge of her bed and sighed. She suddenly heard the song that was playing. One tear, fell then another. Before the end of it, she was a basket case. She laid down on her bed and cried herself to sleep. She would think about what to do in the morning. 

~~~~~~ 

After the movie Elijah decided to skip out on the after-party. He drove past Rayna's house and all the lights were off, but her car was in the driveway. He was relieved. She, at least, was still in the state. He drove on to his place and called her from there. 

He figured all he would get was the answering machine. 

"Rayna, honey,I am worried about you. We need to talk. Call me as soon as you can." He sighed. "I love you girl, just remember that." 

He hung up the phone and headed for the shower. He wanted to cry. Things were not working out at all the way he wanted them to, but if it meant that she would be happy, he would give her up to Orlando. Without a fight. 

~~~~~ 

Orlando decided to try the after party and wished he hadn't. The music was loud and the people were obnoxious. And Rayn wasn't there. 

He walked into the bathroom and splashed water on his face. He looked at himself in the mirror. 'Why are you doing this? To her? Elijah? YOU?' 

He had no clear answers except that he loved her. He was being selfish, he knew that. But, now how was he going to fix it? 

That he had no answer for, but he wasn't going to find at a Hollywood party. 

~~~~~~ 

Rayna woke up the next morning with a killer headache. The memories of the night came rushing back to her and she let some more tears escape. She stood up and took a hot shower. 

There was only one thing she could do. She sighed and scrapped up whatever determination she had. She had never been one to convey her thoughts and feelings well. Then she remembered the song that was on last night. She ran out to her stereo and played it again. This time she recorded it. After it was done, she grabbed it and went to her desk. 

She pulled out a sheet of paper. Two sheets actually. She started to write the first letter. 

**Lij,  
God, sweetie, I have no idea where to start. Sorry seems not adequate enough for all that I have put you through. I know I ....said things and did things that...god, this is so hard,**

She wiped a tear away as another dripped onto the paper and smeared the ink. 

**I never, should have tried to have a relationship with you. It wasn't fair to you. I was being selfish. I just....couldn't love you the way you wanted me to. But, that doesn't mean I don't love you. I do. It's just....I recorded a song for you. It is perfect for how I am feeling. I listened to it last night . I hope someday you can forgive me.**

**I am sorry Lij. For everything. I do have one favor to ask of you..I know I have no right to, but...Please please don't hate Orlando for this. You guys have been friends way to long for something like this to ruin that.**

**I can live with you hating me. But, I can't live with fact that I ruined a wonderful friendship, well other than ours.**

**Take care  
Rayna.**

She folded the letter up and put it and the tape in an envelope. She would drop it off at his place on the way out of town. 

Now the next letter. This one was going to be the hardest, because she wanted to be with Orlando so bad. She knew she could just see him and they could make it work. She still loved him. But, she couldn't. To much had happened. 

**Lan,  
This is going to be the hardest letter to write. I already wrote one to Elijah, but this, this is the one that is going to hurt the most. I love you. I have never stopped. **

She stopped writing because her phone rang. She was not answering any calls. She knew it would be one of five people. Three of whom she would call later. She listened as her machine picked up. 

**"Rayn, it's me baby. Are you there? Come on honey pick up please. Ok well, I guess I just have to come over there before you do anything rash. Rayn, none of this is your fault. Ok then I will see you in a few. I love you Rayn."**

Rayna's eyes got wide. She had about twenty minutes to get out of the house. 

**But, things can't go on like this. Elijah is going to be devastated. I know you will be hurt to, but there is not much I can do at this point. The last thing I wanted, was to ruin your guys friendship. So, I.. Lan, we aren't going to work. I am sorry.**

**I am going to leave for awhile. I need a break from everything. I will be ok, so try and not worry about me. I know, I know. I would worry about you if the situations were reversed. Truth be told, I am going to worry about you anyhow.**

**I guess that's it. Just please, make things right with Lij. That is all I am asking.**

**Love you always and forever,  
Rayn**

She folded that letter and put it in an envelope. She looked at her watch. Ten minutes. She ran into her room and grabbed some clothes, and toiletries. Threw them in her backpack and headed out the door. 

She put both letters on the table by her front door and went to her car. She put her sunglasses on, turned the radio and left. To where she was going, she had no clue. She just knew that she had to leave. 

~~~~~~ 

Orlando froze when he saw that Rayna's car was gone. He got and walked up to the door and knocked. 

"Please baby, be here. Please." 

He begged quietly. When she didn't answer he turned and saw the letters on her table. One to him. One to Elijah. He picked them up and sat on the step. 

He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. 

"Elijah," 

He heard him sigh. 

"Orli what is it?" 

"I think you had better get to Rayna's." 

"Why?" 

"She's gone Elijah. I don't know when she left or where she went, but she is gone. She left letters for us." 

"I will be there in twenty." 

Orlando clicked his phone off and opened up his letter. He read it. Re-read at least three times. She still loved him but was leaving him anyways. 

Not that, he had been so different. He had left her when he still loved her. But she was running away. He at least had somewhat of a reason. 

Who was he kidding. He blew it big time and he deserved everything he got. But she still could have told him in person and not left a note. 

He stood up and crumbled the note and threw it on the ground. Now, to get on with the rest of his life. He had a movie to film, so he would be glad for the distraction. 

He got in his car and looked at her house. He flipped the visor down in the car and looked at the picture he had of them back in New Zealand. 

"How am I going to live without you Rayn?" 

He wiped a tear away and drove off. Elijah would be there and second and he felt he should be gone when he got there. 

With one last look at the house, Orlando drove back to his place, taking the long way. 

~~~~~ 

Elijah pulled up in front of her house wondering where Orlando went. He walked up and found the envelope with with his name on it. 

He picked it up and started towards the car when he noticed a crumpled piece of paper on the ground. He picked it up and realized it was Rayna's letter to Orlando. He folded it as best as he could. 

Elijah was sure that Orlando would want it after he calmed down. He got in his car and opened the envelope. There was tape inside. 

He read the letter all the while crying, as she must have done while writing it. He noticed the tearstains on the paper. 

He looked at the tape and wondered if he should listen to it now or wait. As much as it was probably going to hurt, he put the tape in. 

What he heard made him cry. Nor for himself, but for Rayna. She tried so hard to love him, the way he loved her and couldn't. 

For this, she gave up on the one person that she could love. 

He hit rewind and played the song again. He would love her forever. 

_He gives her attention,  
he's constantly,   
carefully planting the seeds   
The only thing missing,   
is really the only thing she needs   
And he can't give that to her   
and she can't find it with him   
So she'll have to find her way out   
of love she's not really in _

_She can live with what goes with leaving  
She knows it's the only way   
Though it kills her to give up believin'   
She can't live with herself if she stays   
She could settle for what she'd be feeling _

_If she gave in and worked this one out  
She doesn't want the kind of love she can live with   
She wants the kind of love she can't live without _

_She looks in the mirror and sees all the sadness in her eyes  
It's never been clearer what he's asking her to sacrifice   
But she can't be his forever, she can't even be his for now   
she'll have to be kind to them both and let go of him somehow _

_And hardest part is she loves him  
But she doesn't want the kind of love she can live with   
She wants the kind of love she can't live without ._

After listening to it one more time. He turned off the radio and took a long drive. 

~~~~~ 

On a side street Rayna had turned her car around and parked so she could see. She saw Orlando's car first and fought every instinct she had not to flag him down and go with him. 

Then she saw Elijah's Jeep. He drove past slower, and she saw the sadness on his face. 

'Well,' she thought, 'I hope this is not a big mistake on my part.' 

She turned her car on and headed out.


End file.
